Carton having diagonal flip-top corner cap

ABSTRACT

A diagonal flip-top carton structure formed by a one-piece blank with four body panels having a corner opening provided by a recessed upper front corner edge and adjacent recessed side panel end edge, a rear panel portion adjacent said opening being hinged diagonally of said corner and carrying a corner cap assembly of partial body and end panel portions to swing to and from hooded covering relation at said corner. The end panel portions of the cap assembly are initially linked to stationary end panel portions of the front and rear panels by severable tear lines for a break-a-way sealed condition of the carton.

ates Patent 1191 O United St 1111 3,765,593 DAlessio Oct. 16, 1973CARTON HAVING DIAGONAL FLIP-TOP 3,387,736 6/1968 Williamson 229/51 TSCORNER 2,367,706 1/1945 Williamson 229/51 D UX [75] Inventor: Joseph R.DAlessio, Lunenburg, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Mass- 723,3014/1932 France 206/41 C [73] Assignee: Rand-Whitney PackagingCorporation, Leominster, Mass. Primary Examiner-George E. LowranceAssistant ExaminerStephen Marcus [22] Flled 1971 Attorney-Chapin, Neal &Dempsey [21] App]. No.: 171,437

' 57 ABSTRACT [52] g A diagonal flip-top carton structure formed by aone- 22951 piece blank with four body panels having a corner openingprovided by a recessed upper front corner g ys Q 1 gi i if edge andadjacent recessed side panel end edge, a rear 3 5 x3 51 5 4 2 panelportion adjacent said opening being hinged diag- 41 C onally of saidcorner and carrying a corner cap assembly of partial body and end panelportions to swing to 5 6 R f Ct d and from hooded covering relation atsaid corner. The 1 e erences le end panel portions of the cap assemblyare initially UNITED STATES PATENTS linked to stationary end panelportions of the front 1,143,551 6/1915 Pinkerton 229/44 R and rearpanels by severable tear lines for a break-a- 2,348,140 5/1944 Levin229/17 R way ealed condition of the carton 2,974,846 3/1961 Struble....229/17 R 2,565,182 8/1951 Maxon 229/17 R 9 Claims, 11 Drawing FiguresPAIENIEnucI 16 am 3.765.593

' sum 1. [IF 3 Q I v INVENTOR.

BY JOSEPH RDHLEssn PATEN IEUHCI 16 1915 :a. 765,593

SHE 2 BF 3 INVENTOR. BY JOSEPH RJYRLEJSIO PAIENTED DU 15 I975 ("I on INVEN TOR. Jose u RD Fuss/0 hmzw CARTON HAVING DIAGONAL FLIP-TOP CORNERCAP BACKGROUND This invention relates to flip-top cardboard cartons suchas are commonly used in the distribution and sale of merchandise as, forexample, small cigars and like articles although the particular contentsof such a package are immaterial and may comprise foodstuffs,confectionery or any other kind of merchandise capable of being packagedand sold in tubular cartons of the type having four body panels and endclosure panels foldably extending therefrom.

Heretofore, a great variety of tubular carton structures, foldablyerected from cardboard blanks, have been utilized or proposed in whichprovision is made in one way or another to integrally form an openingand a covering hood therefor for convenient access to the cartoncontents. Insofar as is known, however, no prior construction has beendevised with an opening extending diagonally across an upper corner ofthe carton and providing a corner cap or hood hinged on a diagonal axisto swing across the corner and open and close the opening in the mannerof a flip-top cap. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention toprovide such a corner construction and, further, to do so by means of anovel single-piece foldable carton blank.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blank which may beassembled into folded flat form for shipment to the customer for fillingand sealing with a minimum of gluing operations. For assembly into flatform, two gluing operations only are necessary. The folded blank is,furthermore, adapted for handling in standard end-loading and end panelsealing equipment in order to first fill and then seal the ends of thecarton. Again only two gluing operations are necessary for assembly intofinished carton form. Thus, the advantages of a diagonal corner flip-topcarton assembly are obtained with little more than a nominal amount ofadjustment, if any, to standard flat folding equipment and to standardend loading and sealing equipment.

SUMMARY This invention is directed to a folded tubular carton havingfour main body panels, a corner portion of a front panel and end edge ofthe adjacent side panel being recessed to form a corner opening. Anadjacent diagonal section of the rear panel is hinged to swingrearwardly thereof, said hinged section having foldably joined to it anintegral sub-assembly of covering hood panel portions to overlie in aclosed position the recessed edges of the front and said panels and tocover the end section between the front and rear walls at the corner.The side and front panel hood portions extend from the side edge of thehinged corner portion of the rear panel. Upper end closure panelportions extend between the upper edges of the front portion and therear corner portion. In sealed condition the end closure portions of thehood are linked by several means to stationary end closure panelportions extending between the remaining upper edges of the front andrear wall panels. When severed the corner cap or hood subassembly may bepivotally swung over the corner between open and closed positions in themanner of a fliptop cap.

FIGURES FIG. 1 is a plan view of the inside surface of a singlepiececardboard blank from which a diagonal flip-top carton of the presentinvention may be formed;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing a tear strip modification ofthe glue tab connection seen at the left in the blank of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the blank of FIG. 1 folded into flat tubularform;

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are sectional views on an enlarged scale showing thepanel relationship as on lines 4--4, 55, and 6-6, respectively, of FIG.3, the panel walls being brought into tubular form for clarity;

FIG. 7 is a pictorial view showing the top of a sealed carton assembly;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the corner hood assemblypartially swung in a direction to open the same;

FIG. 10 is a view showing the top of a carton as in FIG. 7 having thetear strip modification of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 11 is a similar view of the FIG. 10 carton and showing the hoodturned back to expose the corner opening.

Referring to FIG. 1 the inside face of a single-piece flat blankfoldable into a tubular carton embodying the invention is shown withrear panel 2 serving as a basic panel. At one side of the panel 2 arearranged in successive order and separated by parallel fold lines afirst narrow side panel 4, a front panel 6, and a second narrow sidepanel 8. In the preferred form of the blank a glue panel as at 10 isalso foldably joined at the side of the panel 8. The upper end edge 12of side panel 8 and the cut away edge 14 at the adjacent corner of frontpanel 6 are recessed from the upper end edge 16 of the front panel andprovide a corner opening as will be seen in the finished cartonassembly.

As its other side rear panel 2 is formed with a creased hinge line 18extending diagonally across the upper corner therof and defining atriangular hinged portion 20 on which the other elements of the cornercap or hood assembly are carried. Extending from the side edge ofportion 20 and separated by parallel fold lines are a side panel hoodportion 22 and front corner hood portion 24.

Extending from the upper end edge of the blank are a series of endclosure panel members. Foldably joined to the upper edge of hood portion24 is an end closure panel portion 26 having at its outer end edge aglue tab 28 connected by a severable tear line 29. Foldably panelportions 30 and 32. These portions are formed in the blank preferably asa single panel element, being divided as shown by a severable tear line34 extending transversely from the upper terminal end of hinge line 18.The end panel portion 30, as will later be seen, is assembled in fixedunderlying relation with end cap hood portion 26 and after being severedfrom portion 32 allows the hinged portion 20 to be turned on hinge line18. Portion 32 is adapted for assembly in underlying relation to an endpanel portion 36 which extends from the upper end edge 16 of the frontpanel 6.

At the lower end edge of the blank and foldably joined to rear panel 2and front panel 6 are simple bot- I tom end closure panel portions 38and 40.

The blank of FIG. 1 is first folded into a flat assembly form as shownby FIG. 3. This is the form in which a carton manufacturer customarilydelivers cartons to a customer for filling and sealing operations. Aswill be apparent the panels to the right of rear panel 2 (FIG. 1) arefolded over panel 2 and the reverse face (as seen in FIG. 1) of gluepanel 10 is adhesively secured to the marginal inner surface of rearpanel 2 below the hinged corner portion 20 and inwardly of the lower endof the latter where the top of panel 10 overlaps the same. The hoodportion 24 is then folded to overlie the recessed front panel cornerbringing glue tab 28 into overlying relation against the end panelportion 36 of the front panel 6 and the tab is adhesively securedthereto. It will be noted that two glue operations only are needed forassembly by the manufacturer into the flat folded form shown forshipping purposes.

In FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 the relationship of the panels is shown at thelocation of the correspondingly numbered section lines of FIG. 3, thepanels being brought into a tubular right angled relationship in thesesectional views. As in FIG. 4 glue panel 10 secures the tubular relationof the main panels. In FlG. 5 the covering relation of the panel hoodportions 22 and 24 above the upper edge 12 of side panel 8 is shownclosing off the corner opening provided by the recessed edges. And inFIG. 6 the glued tab 28 attachment to end panel por tion 36 is showntogether with the relationship of the other end closure panel portions.

As will be readily understood in the art flat folded carton assembliesas illustrated by FIG. 3 are in a form for conventional handling bystandard end loading and end sealing equipment. When filled and sealedthe bottom end closure panel portions 38 and 40 are folded intooverlapping relation (not shown) and may be secured as by any suitablegluing operation. The upper panel portions are likewise secured (FIGS.7, 8). In the latter instance, the composite front end closure panelmember having portions 26 and 36 attached together as a unit by tab 28is folded into an overlying relation against the two portions 30 and 32extending respectively from the hinging portion 20 and remaining upperedge of rear panel 2. Front end portion 26 and rear end portion 30 areattached together, as by gluing, independently of the attachment of thefront end closure portion 36 to the rear end closure portion 32. It willbe seen that this sealed end assembly will break open by severing andpanel portion 26 from glue tab 28 along tear line 29 and end panelportion 30 from portion 32 along unattached tear line 34. The capassembly of front and side portions 24 and 22, glued end portions 26 and30, and hinge member 20 is then free to swing on the axis of hinge line18.

In FIG. 9 the corner cap or closure hood subassembly is shown partiallyturned rearwardly over the recessed top corner of the carton. It will beparticularly noted from this view that an initial angular swingingmovement taking place about the axis of diagonal hinge line 18 on therear panel produces an angular tearing movement of end panel portion 26along the tear line 29 fron the front to rear and results in separationfrom glue tab 28. It will also be appreciated that a similar tearingaction occurs at about the same time to sever the underlying end panelportion 30 from portion 32 along tear line 34. The tear line slitting orcuts at both locations may be designed for an easy automatic severancethereof on the application of thumb and finger pressures against theangled lower edge of portion 24 in an opening direction. Once severed,simple pressure directed against the lower edge of portion 24 or againstthe extreme top front corner will cause the cap to flip open. As will benoted from FIG. 11 a more fully turned position of the cap will exposethe diagonal corner opening for convenient access to the contents of thecarton.

Referring to the modified glue tab end panel form shown by FIGS. 2, 10,and 11, it will be seen that the glue tab 28 is joined to the end panelportion 26 by a separable tear strip 29 defined by the scored lines ateach side thereof. The glue tab 28' is fixed to the underlying portion.36 with the tear tab 29' remaining unattached. The tear strip, as adiscrete part of the connection is removable by peeling it away (FIG.10) and leaving only such connections as may be provided for betweenportions 30 and 32, the latter being severable as described to freelyswing the cap on hinge line 18.

What is claimed is: 1. A carton having a diagonal flip-top cornerclosure cap construction comprising front, rear, side and end closurewall panel members, an upper corner of the front panel and an end of theside panel adjacent thereto having edges recessed from the end of thecarton for access to the carton interior, diagonally hinged cornerportion of the rear wall opposing said recessed edges having connectedto the side edge of said hinged rear wall portion and extendingtherefrom at right angles a side panel corner cap portion, and extendingat right angles from the latter a front panel corner cap portionparallel to said hinged rear wall portion, and an end closure panel capmember connected to the upper end edges of said front cap and rear wallcorner portions, thereby maintaining in fixed relation with respect tosaid rear panel corner portion, the said right-angled and parallelrelation, respectively, of said side panel cap and front panel capportions, the said rear panel corner portion being swingable to carrysaid cap portions with it as a unitary cap structure to and from acorner covering relation at said end of the carton.

2. A carton as in claim 1, in which,

the lower edges of said side and front panel cap portions overlap saidrecessed edges of the side and front panels, and

said end closure cap member in an initial sealed condition of the cartonis severably connected toan end closure panel member between theremaining upper end edge portions of the front and rear panels.

3. A carton as in claim 2, in which,

the end closure members at the upper end of the carton comprise panelportions extending from the upper end edges of said front panel andfront cap portions and from the end edges of said rear panel wallportions,

the end panel portions directed from the front of the carton overlyingthe portions extending from the rear panel and in anchored relationtherewith, and

the end panel portions of the rear panel are joined in the initialsealed carton condition by a severable tear line portion extendingtransversely of the end wall from the upper end of the pivotal axis ofsaid diagonally hinged corner portion.

4. A carton as in claim 3, in which,

the end closure panel portion extending from said front panel capportion is provided with a severable tab anchored in overlying relationto the other end closure panel member.

5. A carton as in claim 4, in which,

said severable tab is connected to the edge of said front panel capportion by a tear strip element.

6. A foldable one-piece flat blank for tubular cartons having a flip-topcorner cap and comprising a rear panel and successively extending fromone side thereof and joined by parallel fold lines 7 a first side panel,a front panel, and a second side panel,

the upper end edge of said side panel and adjacent corner portion ofsaid front panel being recessed below the uppermost end edges of saidfront and rear panels to provide a corner opening on assembly of theblank,

said rear panel at its other side having a foldable hinge line extendingdiagonally of an upper corner portion of the panel, and, extendingsuccessively from the side edge of said corner portion and joined byparallel fold lines,

a corner hood portion for covering the recessed end of the second sidepanel and a corner hood portion for covering said recessed front panelcorner said rear panel at its upper edge having first and second endclosure panels portions foldably joined respectively at the upper edgeof said hinged corner portion and at the upper edge of the remainingpanel portion,

an end closure panel portion foldably joined to the upper edge of saidfront corner hood portion for attachment, on assembly, with said firstend closure panel portion, and an end closure panel portion foldablyjoined to the uppermost end edge of said front panel for attachment, onassembly, to said second end closure panel portion,

foldable end closure panel portions extending from the lower edge ofsaid blank, and

V a glue panel foldably extending from one of the side edges of the mainportion of the blank consisting of said rear, front, and side panels.

7. The blank of claim 6, in which,

said first and second end closure panel portions are linked side by sideby a severable tear line connection, and

said end closure panel portion at the upper edge of the front cornerhood portion is provided at the end edge of the blank with a severableglue tab.

8. The blank of claim 7, in which,

said glue tab is joined to the end closure panel portion by a manuallyseparable perforated tear strip.

9. The blank of claim 8, in which,

said end closure panel portions at the lower edge of the blank aresingle panel members extending from the rear and front panels.

1. A carton having a diagonal flip-top corner closure cap constructioncomprising front, rear, side and end closure wall panel members, anupper corner of the front panel and an end of the side panel adjacentthereto having edges recessed from the end of the carton for access tothe carton interior, a diagonally hinged corner portion of the rear wallopposing said recessed edges having connected to the side edge of saidhinged rear wall portion and extending therefrom at right angles a sidepanel corner cap portion, and extending at right angles from the lattera front panel corner cap portion parallel to said hinged rear wallportion, and an end closure panel cap member connected to the upper endedges of said front cap and rear wall corner portions, therebymaintaining in fixed relation , with respect to said rear panel cornerportion, the said right-angled and parallel relation, respectively, ofsaid side panel cap and front panel cap portions, the said rear panelcorner portion being swingable to carry said cap portions with it as aunitary cap structure to and from a corner covering relation at said endof the carton.
 2. A carton as in claim 1, in which, the lower edges ofsaid side and front panel cap portions overlap said recessed edges ofthe side and front panels, and said end closure cap member in an initialsealed condition of the carton is severably connected to an end closurepanel member between the remaining upper end edge portions of the frontand rear panels.
 3. A carton as in claim 2, in which, the end closuremembers at the upper end of the carton comprise panel portions extendingfrom the upper end edges of said front panel and front cap portions andfrom the end edges of said rear panel wall portions, the end panelportions directed from the front of the carton overlying the portionsextending from the rear panel and in anchored relation therewith, andthe end panel portions of the rear panel are joined in the initialsealed carton condition by a severable tear line portion extendingtransversely of the end wall from the upper end of the pivotal axis ofsaid diagonally hinged corner portion.
 4. A carton as in claim 3, inwhich, the end closure panel portion extending from said front panel capportion is provided with a severable tab anchored in overlying relationto the other end closure panel member.
 5. A carton as in claim 4, inwhich, said severable tab is connected to the edge of said front panelcap portion by a tear strip element.
 6. A foldable one-piece flat blankfor tubular cartons having a flip-top corner cap and comprising a rearpanel and successively extending from one side thereof and joined byparallel fold lines a first side panel, a front panel, and a second sidepanel, the upper end edge of said side panel and adjacent corner portionof said front panel being recessed below the uppermost end edges of saidfront and rear panels to provide a corner opening on assembly of theblank, said rear panel at its other side having a foldable hinge lineextending diagonally of an upper corner portion of the panel, and,extending successively from the side edge of said corner portion andjoined by parallel fold lines, a corner hood portion for covering therecessed end of the second side panel and a corner hood portion forcovering said recessed front panel corner said rear panel at its upperedge having first and second end closure panels portions foldably joinedrespectivEly at the upper edge of said hinged corner portion and at theupper edge of the remaining panel portion, an end closure panel portionfoldably joined to the upper edge of said front corner hood portion forattachment, on assembly, with said first end closure panel portion, andan end closure panel portion foldably joined to the uppermost end edgeof said front panel for attachment, on assembly, to said second endclosure panel portion, foldable end closure panel portions extendingfrom the lower edge of said blank, and a glue panel foldably extendingfrom one of the side edges of the main portion of the blank consistingof said rear, front, and side panels.
 7. The blank of claim 6, in which,said first and second end closure panel portions are linked side by sideby a severable tear line connection, and said end closure panel portionat the upper edge of the front corner hood portion is provided at theend edge of the blank with a severable glue tab.
 8. The blank of claim7, in which, said glue tab is joined to the end closure panel portion bya manually separable perforated tear strip.
 9. The blank of claim 8, inwhich, said end closure panel portions at the lower edge of the blankare single panel members extending from the rear and front panels.